Former Tottenham and Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood has taken issue with Newcastle's Lewis Hall over his comments regarding the pressure of playing for England.
Ahead of the Nations League clash with the Czech Republic, the 22-year-old Hall described the England shirt as 'heavy', citing the weight of responsibility that comes with the national team:
It's a heavy shirt. You represent England, so every time you step onto the pitch, you have to show your best football — there's a lot at stake.
Everyone in the squad, including those who missed the cut, understands how much it means to play for your country. There’s always healthy competition that helps us improve.
However, Sherwood was less than pleased with Hall's candidness:
I don't like that honesty. I think he should keep his mouth shut when talking about the pressure of the shirt. A coach might hear this and wonder if it's heavy for him or for the entire team.
According to Sherwood, key players in the England squad would likely not voice such concerns publicly:
If you asked Jude Bellingham or Harry Kane, they wouldn’t say the shirt is heavy. They would say, 'Bring on the next match, and I'll show how good I am.' That's what I want to see from him.
Despite his criticism, Sherwood acknowledged Hall's potential:
I rate him highly; he has a bright future ahead. But he needs to realise that the coach is watching everything he does — in the England camp, in front of the press, and of course, on the pitch.
He just needs to play like he does for Newcastle. He's strong going forward and solid defensively. He has the chance to make that position his own for a long time.
In conclusion, Sherwood reiterated his advice to the young defender about publicly discussing pressure:
Even if that shirt does feel heavy, there's no need to broadcast that you're under huge pressure. Just go out there and play.
